Off Deadline
Off Deadline goes beyond the headlines to reveal what really happens when the cameras stop rolling and the deadlines pass. Host Melissa DiGianfilippo, Founder and CEO of Proof Publicity, creates a rare safe space where top journalists drop their professional guard to share the moments that changed everything—the ethical crossroads that kept them awake, the sources that most surprised them, the stories that broke them, and the victories no one will ever write about.
From the hilarious disasters to the heart-stopping close calls, veteran journalists share the wild, unforgettable moments that never made it into their reporting. These are the behind-the-scenes confessions, the career-defining chaos, and the human moments that remind us why journalism is equal parts calling and complete madness. This isn't about breaking news—it's about the people who lived through the craziest moments while chasing the story, and the experiences they'll never forget.
If you've ever wondered what it really takes to be a storyteller in our chaotic world, Off Deadline delivers the raw, unfiltered truth behind journalism's most compelling voices.
Watch on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts!
Off Deadline
Michelle Glicksman on Editorial Judgment, Magazine Deadlines and What Makes a Story Worth Publishing
In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo sits down with Michelle Glicksman, a 26-year media veteran and editor in chief behind multiple Arizona publications, including Scottsdale City Lifestyle and Chandler City Lifestyle.
Michelle shares how writing shaped her career early on, why magazine journalism ultimately won over television, and what it truly means to be responsible for editorial judgment under real deadlines. She reflects on pulling a magazine cover just hours before press, selecting stories worth publishing, covering nonprofit and community voices, navigating AI in journalism, and how personal loss deepened her empathy as an editor and storyteller.
Discussion highlights
- Discovering her voice as a writer early in life
- Moving from television to magazine journalism
- Editorial judgment and covering unfamiliar beats
- Interviewing Johnny Unitas without knowing who he was
- Working with her daughter on a fashion shoot
- Choosing nonprofit and community stories
- Covering Arizona food, travel and culture
- Pulling a magazine cover hours before press
- Managing nonstop PR pitches
- How AI is entering journalism
- Personal loss and deeper empathy in storytelling
Michelle’s episode offers a rare look at decision making, pressure and responsibility inside magazine publishing.
🎧 Listen now, watch on YouTube, and don’t forget to follow @proofpublicity for more episodes of Off Deadline.
📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity
🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com
